Can Red Light Therapy Help Relieve Cold and Flu Symptoms?

Exploring the Use of Red Light Therapy to Help Alleviate Cold Symptoms

Colds can leave you feeling truly miserable. Along with the usual suspects like coughing, sore throat, and congestion, colds often bring headache, body aches, fatigue, and generally feeling run down. When you're desperate for relief, the idea of using red light therapy to help minimize symptoms may seem appealing.

Red light therapy exposes your body to low-level red and near-infrared light. Also called photobiomodulation, red light therapy has gained attention in recent years as a treatment for various conditions. Advocates claim it reduces inflammation and helps stimulate healing.

Could red light therapy be used to find some relief when you have a bad cold? Here's an in-depth look at the evidence.

How Red Light Therapy Works

Red light therapy devices emit wavelengths of visible red light and invisible near-infrared light. The light penetrates your skin and interacts with your cells.

Researchers believe this light activates your mitochondria, which then produces more cellular energy called ATP. This boost in energy impacts bodily processes to trigger beneficial effects.

Potential results range from better wound healing to less inflammation and pain. More study is still needed, but some research points to advantages.

Red Light Therapy for Colds and Flu

Colds and flu are caused by viruses, so red light can’t directly treat the infection itself. However, some studies suggest red light therapy may help alleviate secondary symptoms like congestion, headache, fatigue, and cough.

One way it may help is by reducing inflammation. Early research found red light therapy decreased inflammatory cytokines and markers of oxidative stress.

Red light might also modulate immunity to reduce respiratory inflammation. One study saw improved antiviral defenses against rhinovirus, or the common cold virus, after red light treatment.

The light stimulation of cellular energy production could also counter fatigue and sluggishness. So while a cold still needs to run its course, red light could provide some symptom relief.

Best Practices for Using Red Light Therapy for Colds

While research looks promising, how do you implement at-home red light therapy for colds practically? Follow these best practices for results:

Choose the Right Device

LED red light panels designed for therapeutic use offer the best at-home option. Check for red wavelengths between 630-660nm and near-infrared wavelengths between 850-880nm.

Use Daily During Illness

For symptom relief when fighting a cold, aim for daily red light therapy until you recover. Session length will vary based on device instructions.

Target Congested Areas

Place panels directly on congested areas like your sinus area, throat, or chest to penetrate tissue and possibly reduce inflammation.

Sit or Lie Down During Treatment

Get comfortable seated or lying down during sessions so you don’t become fatigued holding panels in place.

Following best practice guidelines gives red light therapy the best chance of easing cold discomfort until you get better.

The Wider Health Potential of Red Light Therapy

While red light therapy may offer hopeful acute respiratory infection relief, research also points to wider wellness advantages. If you’re considering red light therapy for colds, also factor in these additional possible perks:

Improving Skin Health

Much of the red light therapy research has focused on its effects on skin. Study evidence demonstrates red light can rejuvenate skin cells, reduce signs of aging, treat skin conditions like acne and rosacea, and improve healing from burns, scars, and wounds.

Increasing collagen production and skin cell energy, decreasing inflammation, and stimulating circulation contribute to these skin-boosting benefits when using red light therapy regularly.

Decreasing Muscle and Joint Pain

For those struggling with musculoskeletal pain conditions, red light therapy offers a non-invasive treatment option. Red light penetrates tissue to reduce oxidative damage and inflammation in joints or injuries.

In athlete trials, red light therapy decreased delayed onset muscle soreness after tough workouts. Other studies found decreased low back and knee pain, reduced arthritis symptoms, and faster injury recovery.

Regulating Immune Function

Your immune system defends your health every day. But when overactive immune cells start to damage healthy tissue through inflammation, conditions like arthritis or skin disorders develop.

Research indicates red light therapy may help get immune function back in check. In addition to the common cold study we mentioned earlier, other trials saw reduced inflammatory immune cells in rheumatoid arthritis.

By lowering oxidative stress and mitigating inflammation, red light therapy could optimize immune regulation.

Combating Hair Loss

For those seeking lush locks, red light may come to the rescue. Red light therapy shows promise supporting hair growth and counteracting hair loss thanks to its ability to energize follicles.

In studies of patients with androgenic alopecia, those undergoing red light therapy for 6 months grew thicker, more hair than non-treatment groups. Participants also reported less hair shedding.

Boosting cellular metabolism in hair follicles encourages growth phase progression so more hair remains on your head. Look for targeted hair growth red light devices.

Enhancing Brain Function

Your brain requires considerable energy, with neurons consuming high amounts of oxygen and glucose daily. Research shows even brief ischemia or hypoxia in brain tissue can cause dysfunction.

Here’s where the neuroprotective effects of red light therapy may come into play. Enhancing mitochondrial energy production in neurons could support optimal brain cell metabolism and function.

Studies demonstrate red light therapy improves recovery following traumatic brain injury and stroke. Other trials found cognitive enhancement in healthy adults after red light treatment.

Supporting Oral Health

When it comes to oral care, red light therapy could support gum health and accelerate healing after dental procedures like tooth extraction or implants.

Red light therapy decreases inflammation caused by periodontal disease, reduces dental pain in trials, and minimizes bleeding and toxin release from gingivitis in lab tests.

Dentists may also use red light therapy to stimulate recovery following common mouth surgeries by reducing surgical site inflammation and irritation.

Are There Any Risks Associated with Red Light Therapy?

Clinical trials indicate red light therapy is very safe when used as directed, with minimal side effects reported. However, be aware of these considerations before undergoing treatment:

Medication Reactions

Red light is generally considered safe with medications. But more research is needed, so talk to your doctor if you take any photosensitive drugs.

Light Sensitivity Disorders

A small subset of the population with light-triggered conditions may react poorly. Use caution if you have porphyria, solar urticaria, or a related disorder.

Skin Cancer Concerns

While red light differs from UV radiation, existing skin cancer or risk factors may warrant caution. Discuss using red light therapy for skin conditions with your dermatologist first.

Eye Injury

Never look directly into red light therapy devices, as high-intensity light could harm eyes. Follow device guidelines carefully.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any conditions that could impact red light therapy safety. But for most people, using an approved device as directed poses little risk.

Putting Red Light Therapy to Work for You

Dealing with cough, fatigue, headache and other cold or flu misery can make you willing to try just about anything for relief. While no magic cure for viral infections exists, red light therapy shows promise helping alleviate secondary respiratory infection symptoms.

Red and near-infrared wavelengths may modulate immunity and inflammation pathways to quiet congestion and cough. The boost to cellular energy could also counter lousy feelings of tiredness and malaise.

Red light therapy for colds and flu won’t replace rest, fluids, and other recovery fundamentals. But using portable LED panels as an additional symptom-soothing tool certainly appeals.

Beyond acute infections, developing an at-home red light therapy regimen yields advantages for whole body wellness. From skin to muscles and joints to immune function, red light offers therapy for relief.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.